Navy Bases - South Africa Further Reading Navy Bases The Navy has its main naval base and dockyard at Simon's Town near Cape Town, and a naval station with basic dockyard facilities at Durban. It has a training centre at Saldanha Bay to the northwest of Cape Town. There are reserve bases in Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, as well as at Simon's Town and in Johannesburg and Pretoria. The first British occupation in 1795 was effected from Simon's Town under the following circumstances. At that period the Cape of Good Hope belonged to Holland, or, rather, to the Dutch East India Company, and the British Governnient had arranged with the Dutch authorities for the occupation of the place by British troops, in order to checkmate the scheme of French aggrandisement in those regions.

Accordingly, a fleet commanded by Admiral Elphinstone, with General Craig in charge of the troops on board, was despatched thither; but owing to a genuine mis-understanding, or out of sheer perversity, the Dutch East India Companyï¿½s oflicials declined to permit the British troops to land; with the result that General Craig forced a landing under cover of the fire from the fleet. Subsequently Simon's Town became the headquarters of the Cape and West Coast Naval Squadron. Eventually extensive dockyard accommodation, extending for nearly a mile along the shore, was erected, together with all appliances necessary for refitting and repairing the vessels on the station. In view of the increasing importance of Britian's South African possessions, it was decided to convert the place into a first-class station for the Imperial Navy, with graviig docks to take any ship afloat. In November 1900, this important project crystallised, and the firm of Sir ]ohn Jackson, Limited, obtained the contract for the construction of what was practically a new Naval port at Siinonï¿½s Bay, the Parliamentary estimate of the cost of which was put at ï¿½2,500,000.

Cape Town competes with Alexandria for recognition as the most famous port in Africa and is certainly one of the most beautiful harbors in the world with its magnificent backdrop of Table Mountain. The port is situated on one of the world's busiest trade routes and will always retain strategic and economic importance for that reason alone. The port is located in Table Bay at Latitude 33ï¿½ 54' S and Longitude 18ï¿½ 26' E and lies 120 nm northwest of Cape Agulhas (the most southerly point in Africa). The historic Victoria and Alfred Basins - the original Cape Town harbor - now house the world famous Cape Town Waterfront but remain in use for commercial purposes, creating a unique attraction for the waterfront development. These are used by smaller commercial vessels including fishing and pleasure boats and by smaller passenger cruise ships. U.S. Navy vessels also typically berth in these basins. The port of Cape Town remains open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

The depth at the entrance channel is -15.9 m Chart datum, and is -15.4 m at the 180 m wide entrance into Duncan Dock and -15.5 m at the entrance to Ben Schoeman Dock. The depth in the Duncan Dock varies between -9.9 m near the repair quay to -12.4 m at the tanker basin. Recently, the Main Quay of Ben Schoeman Dock was dredged to 15.5 m. However, the final survey had not been completed as of September, 2009. This will provide for deeper berths for the new generation of container shipping and could also allow for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers to dock at the Main Quay. The port boasts extensive ship repair facilities. The port has evolved greatly over the centuries and currently consists of several main components: The Ben Schoeman Dock: This is the large outer dock of the port, where the container terminal is situated. Maximum size of vessel handled: length 370m, width 87 m.

The Main Quay is in the process of being reinforced (as of September, 2009) and hard rubber fendering is being placed throughout the Main Quay (see Photos 3 ,14 and 15.) The Duncan Dock: This is the smaller and the older inner dock, containing the multi-purpose and fruit terminals as well as a dry dock, repair quay and tanker basin. The Yachting Marina. The Victoria and Alfred Basins: These were the main piers of the original Cape Town harbor, but now house the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. However, these basins are still used by smaller commercial vessels such as fishing and pleasure boats and also by smaller passenger cruise ships. U.S. Navy vessels also typically berth in these basins. Oil tankers and vessels carrying hazardous cargo or explosives are prohibited from berthing at night. The U. S. Navy typically uses Jetty No. 2 of the Victoria and Alfred Basins for berthing. Pilots indicate bow in is safer for vessels at V and A. The U. S. Navy has also used the Eastern Moles (Berths 1 and 2) of Duncan Dock for berthing.

CV 71 in October, 2008 anchored out in about 25 m depth with a shell/rock bottom with good holding and put out 6 shots in 9 ft + seas. Table Bay provides anchorage in convenient depths in the authorized anchorage areas and clear of the disused cable area extending from a point on the shore 0.7 miles N of Milnerton Light. Vessels anchoring in Table Bay must do so in one of the designated anchorages which are numbered and indicated as follows (with positions relative to the castle (33 degrees 55 minutes .6S, 18 degrees 25 minutes .6E)) No. 1 general, summer only - 3.5 miles NW (rocks and sand) No. 2 general - 4 miles NNE (sand, mud and rock) No. 3 small vessels - 2.75 miles NE (sand) No. 4. hazardous - 6 miles N (sand and mud) U.S. Navy vessels typically anchor in Nos. 2 and 4 anchorages.

The holding in the anchorages in bad weather is unreliable and vessels at anchor should at all times have their engines at short notice and be prepared to put to sea. Holding in Nos. 2 and 4 anchorages is not very good in winter due to the swell and wind. If winds get over 30 kt, it is suggested to get underway. Anchorage should be avoided in an area of uneven ground and shoals, with depths of 6.7 to 10 m, lying between 0.4 miles and 1 mile offshore in the vicinity of Milnerton Light. The bottom is foul. Vessels at anchor in the bay should at all times keep their main engines ready at short notice, and be prepared to put to sea on the approach of winter gales. For the rest of the year, and particularly during the months of December, January and February, SE winds, which may reach gale force, are to be expected, and vessels are advised to anchor as far to the E as their drafts would comfortably allow. Vessels are cautioned against anchoring or trawling in the disused dumping area, W of Table Bay, where hulks of explosives exist.

NEWSLETTER Visitors' Guide to Cape Town & Western Cape - Cape Peninsula 2 Cape Peninsula / Page 2 I n f o r m a t i o n : Cape Town Tourism {+27 (0) 21 - 4264260} at the The Pinnacle, Corner Castle & Burg Streets, Cape Town. Peninsula Tourism {+27 (0) 21 - 7886193} at The Pavilion, Beach Road, Muizenberg. Cape Point Information {+27 (0) 21 - 7809200} Cape Peninsula - Inland From the city centre, the drive along the Eastern Boulevard takes visitors along the M3 towards Muizenberg. Take the turn off into Rhodes Avenue to Rosebank where Mostert's Mill (1796) is situated. It is one of only two Dutch windmills in the Cape. Further down Rhodes Avenue, turn right into Cecil Road where you will find the Irma Stern Museum. The Main Road passes the Presidents' homes, Groote Schuur and Westbrook, both built on Cecil John Rhodes' estate.

If one turns right up Klipper Road and drives towards the mountain and under the bridge, there is an entrance to Rhodes Memorial. The site was chosen by Sir Herbert Baker and Rudyard Kipling, both close friends of Rhodes. The design is based on the Greek temple at Segesta, overlooking the sea. Josephine Mill is situated in Boundary Road on the Mariendahl Estate, near the Rugby Stadium. The South African Rugby Football Union Museum is housed here and is the one of the largest of its kind in the world. Its exhibits date back to 1891. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is world renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. This botanical garden, which grows only flora indigenous to southern Africa boasts over 5000 species, including favourite South African plants such as proteas, ericas, restios and pelargoniums. The Botanical Society Conservatory houses succulent plants from the drier regions of the country as well as special collections of alpines, bulbs, ferns and stone plants (small succulents).

The garden is open 365 days a year from 08h00 - 19h00 (September - March) and from 08h00 - 18h00 (April - August). A nominal entrance fee is charged. The garden also has a gift and book shop, plant nursery, coffee shop and restaurant. Guided walks leave from the Information Office at 11h00 on Tuesdays and Saturdays. On Sundays during the summer months (December - March) musical sunset concerts are held on the lawns. From Kirstenbosch, it is a short drive to the valley of Constantia, the cradle of the wine industry in South Africa. The first quality wines were produced here. Constantia today is divided up into *Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Coleyn, *Buitenverwagting, Nova Constantia, *Constantia Uitsig, Silverhurst, Bergvliet and Witte Boomen. The present name of this Klein Constantia is the Hope of Constantia, situated behind Groot Constantia and next to Coleyn.

There is another *Klein Constantia which was built in 1790 and is situated at the end of Klein Constantia Road. (*Functioning Wine Estates) From Constantia, take a drive to Tokai where you will find the Tokai Manor House at the top of Tokai Road near the entrance to the forest reserve. This house dates back to 1795. The Tokai Forests offer pleasant walks and picnic sites. Cape Peninsula - East Coast From Tokai take the road to Muizenberg, which is an old-fashioned village on the shores of False Bay. The Carnegie Library was built in 1910 and now forms part of the South African Police Museum, together with the Old Post Office and The Posthuys. The Posthuys (Post House) is the oldest European house in South Africa (1673). Rhodes' Cottage, on the Main Road, is now a museum. The Fort now houses the Natalé Labia Museum, which is used by the South African National Gallery as an exhibition venue. The tidal pool at St James and the little beach named Danger Beach are popular. The attractive little fishing harbour at Kalk Bay also boasts a tidal pool opposite the railway station.

Around the corner is Fish Hoek beach, which is a favourite spot for hobie-catting. The Naval base of Simon's Town (named after Simon van der Stel) is around the corner. The beaches are the main attraction in summer and in particular Boulders Beach, which is recommended for diving and safe swimming. The South African Naval Museum in the Mast House, West Dockyard, contains ship models and other naval relics. Nearby is the Stem Pastorie which houses a collection of national emblems; it was here that the music for 'Die Stem' was composed. Follow the road towards the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point .

Published by Nelson's Guides  PO Box 432 Constantia 7848, Cape Town, South Africa Advertising Sales: Tel: +27 (0) 21-794-7273, Fax: +27 (0) 21-794-7271 South Africa Ports and Shipping - Flags, Maps, Economy, History, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System << Back to South Africa Economy South Africa has no commercially navigable rivers, but ocean shipping has long been a feature of its transportation network, capitalizing on the country's two-ocean frontage. The earliest nineteenth-century shipping firms began as coastal carriers for local commerce, traveling between southern African ports. After World War II, private investors initiated an international shipping service, and in 1946 the state corporation, South African Marine Corporation (Safmarine), assumed control over the private company.

Safmarine operates container ships, general cargo vessels, and bulk carriers for mineral exports, and, since the 1980s, has offered expanded service to Europe, North America, South America, and Asia (South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan). In 1992 it purchased the newest of its five container ships, Oranje , from Croatia at a cost of R100 million. South Africa has six major commercial ports: Durban, Richards Bay, Cape Town, Saldanha Bay, Port Elizabeth, and East London. Portnet manages their facilities, including cargo-handling equipment, wharves, and container terminals, and provides services such as tugs, berthing, and cargo handling. Portnet also sets the standards for such services offered by private businesses. (In addition, Portnet manages forty-six lighthouses--eighteen operated by keepers and twenty-eight that are automatic.) Relying on containerization and automation to speed up service, Portnet handled more than 127 million tons of cargo on more than 12,900 seagoing vessels in 1994. Each major port has traditionally played an important, specialized role in South Africa's export sector.

For example, Durban handles general cargo, especially cereal exports; Cape Town specializes in exports of deciduous fruit, wine, and vegetables; and Saldanha Bay was built specifically to export mineral ores from the Northern Cape. Durban's port encompasses 893 hectares of bay area. The port entrance channel is 12.7 meters deep at low tide. Durban has five deep-sea and two coastal container berths, and provides 15,195 meters of quayage for commercial ships. Durban also has repair facilities, including a floating dry dock. Through the 1980s, Durban was South Africa's busiest general cargo port, handling as much as 25 percent of the country's imports and exports in some years, but it was being surpassed by Richards Bay in the 1990s. Richards Bay, a deep-water port 193 kilometers northeast of Durban, was commissioned in 1976 primarily to export coal from the eastern Transvaal, but by the early 1990s it was handling almost one-half of all cargo passing through South African ports.

Port facilities can accommodate bulk carriers of up to 250,000 tons, with five berths for general and bulk cargo, and a coal berth. Cape Town has one of the largest dry docks in the southern hemisphere, including five berths for container vessels and general cargo carriers, a pier for coastal traffic, and extensive ship repair facilities. The port at Cape Town has a water area of 112.7 hectares. Port Elizabeth's enclosed water area of about 115 hectares has more than 3,400 meters of quayage for commercial shipping and a container terminal that has two berths. Vessels with a draught of up to twelve meters can use the harbor, and offshore anchorage is available for vessels of any draught. Facilities at Port Elizabeth include a mechanical ore-handling plant, which can process up to 1,500 tons per hour, and a precooling storage area with a capacity of 7,500 cubic meters. Saldanha Bay, 110 kilometers northwest of Cape Town, is the largest port on the west coast of Africa and one of the best natural ports in the world.

The facilities at Saldanha Bay provide anchorage in the lee of a breakwater where the minimum water depth is 14.6 meters. With a port area of about 5,000 hectares, Saldanha Bay is larger than the combined areas of the ports of Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and East London. The ore-loading jetty can handle carriers of 350,000 tons. South Africa's only river port, East London, is situated at the estuary of the Buffalo River in Eastern Cape province. Although East London is the smallest of the six major ports, it has a 75,000-ton capacity grain elevator--the largest in South Africa. East London handles agricultural exports and is the main outlet for copper exports from other African countries, such as Zambia and Zaire. Two other coastal cities--Simonstown, south of Cape Town, and Mossel Bay, between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth--have substantial port facilities. Mossel Bay is a commercial fishing harbor between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and Simonstown is a naval base and training center (see Navy, ch. 5).

Road System and Transport South Africa has an extensive national, provincial, and municipal road system covering the entire country (see fig. 18). As of 1996, the national routes include nearly 2,500 kilometers of limited-access freeways and 3,600 kilometers of highways with unlimited access. Roughly 60,000 kilometers of all-weather, paved roads and more than 100,000 kilometers of unpaved roads are maintained by the national and provincial governments. More than 6 million vehicles are in operation nationwide, including about 3.5 million passenger vehicles, in 1996. Buses and private van services are also used by many workers who commute from townships and rural areas to urban workplaces. Several private bus companies run commuter lines, and municipal bus services operate within several cities. South Africa has one of the highest road fatality rates in the world--more than 10,000 people, almost one-half of them pedestrians and bicyclists, were killed in more than 400,000 road accidents in 1992.

The number of deaths was reduced slightly, to about 9,400, in 1993. The government has taken numerous measures to reduce accidents--for example, by implementing seat-belt laws and lowering speed limits. Nevertheless, in the mid-1990s, the government estimates that barely half of all automobile passengers wear seat belts, and traffic accidents continue to take a heavy toll. Data as of May 1996 NOTE: The information regarding South Africa on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of South Africa Ports and Shipping information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about South Africa Ports and Shipping should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.

Please put this page in your BOOKMARKS - - - - - Copyright © 2004 Photius Coutsoukis (all rights reserved) ctr040601 A guide to top historical experiences in Cape Town | Cape Town Tourism home chevron_right See and Do chevron_right Arts & Culture chevron_right Heritage & History chevron_right A guide to top historical experiences in Cape Town A guide to top historical experiences in Cape Town Cape Town has a rich, often turbulent history. The city was the centre of European colonisation, and boasts a melting pot of cultures brought about by the slave trade. It has endured naval battles around its shores, survived Apartheid and eventually, became a massive part in the birth of South Africa’s young democracy. The city has an abundance of museums and memorials remembering its past.

Here’s a look at some of the best places to peer into Cape Town’s history: Iziko South African Museum Situated at the top of the Company’s Garden and just around the corner from buzzing Long Street, the Iziko South African Museum plays host to more than a million artefacts, items and specimens dating back to more than a 100,000 years ago, as well as depictions of dinosaurs that once ruled the South African plains. Website: District Six Museum During the Apartheid years, the residents of District Six on the edge of the city centre, were forcibly removed by the government. The empty streets and plots are still visible today, and in 1994 the District Six Museum was established to honour this displaced community, and offer a glimpse into their lives. Website: Bo-Kaap Museum Sitting among the colourful houses and cobbled streets of historical Bo-Kaap (upper Cape), the Bo-Kaap museum honours the local Islamic culture and heritage that dates back to the times of slavery.

Website: Castle of Good Hope In 1652 the first Europeans landed on the shores of South Africa with the intention to establish a supply depot for ships of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) – a fort was erected in 1666 and by 1679 it had turned into the Castle of Good Hope as it stands today. It’s the oldest surviving building of South Africa’s colonial era and one of the most popular. Naval Museum Situated in South Africa’s main naval port of Simonstown, the South African Naval Museum pays homage to the country’s naval history. It also includes glimpses into modern naval operations with models of submarines, a life-size submarine control room, naval guns, torpedoes and more. Website: Robben Island One of South Africa’s most famous historical landmarks is Robben Island, located in Table Bay, just west of the city. During the Apartheid years the prison on the island was home to many prominent political prisoners, including its most famous former resident, Nelson Mandela, who served 18 of his 27 year sentence here. In 1997 a museum was established to commemorate the struggle that political prisoners had to endure on the island.

Website: Slave Lodge Situated just north of South Africa’s Parliament Building complex, The Slave Lodge is one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town. Through the years it has been the site of slave accommodation, Government offices and even South Africa’s Supreme Court. However, in 1998 the building was renamed to Slave Lodge and presents a glimpse into South Africa’s long history of slavery, as well as creating awareness of current issues surrounding human rights. Website: South African Jewish Museum One of Cape Town’s architectural gems, and just up the road from Parliament, the South African Jewish Museum takes an interactive look back at the history of South Africa’s Jewish community, as well remembering the Holocaust. Website: Heart Transplant Museum – Heart of Cape Town Museum In 1967 Professor Christiaan Barnard successfully performed the world’s first successful heart transplant. Situated in Groote Schuur Hospital, the site of this historic event, the Heart Transplant Museum pays tribute to Prof. Barnard and his team, as well as the process involved. Website: Diamond Museum For jewellery buffs, the Diamond Museum at the V&A Waterfront explores the three billion year journey it takes to form these coveted rocks and the processes that turn them into these sought-after gems.

Website: The Springbok Experience As the birthplace of one of South Africa’s most beloved sports, The Springbok Experience pays homage to the history of rugby in South Africa. Through an interactive exhibit, visitors can peer into rugby’s past from the 1860s to the present day, including many significant rugby artefacts like the boots Joel Stransky wore when he slotted his his iconic, Rugby World Cup-winning, drop goal. History of Stations on the Cape Town to Simonstown line | Atlantic Rail Heritage Steam Train Cape Town Heritage The Cape Town - Simons Town Railway Originally published by the Cape Town Heritage Trust in 1990 to commemorate the centenary of the completion of the line to Simon's Town BEGINNINGS The Cape Town - Simon's Town line is not the oldest in South Africa. A short line between Durban and the Point opened on 26 June 1860. The Cape Town Railway and Dock Company completed its line to Eersterivier on 13 February 1862, continued to Stellenbosch on 1 May 1862 and finally reached Wellington on 4 November 1863.

The Cape Town - Wynberg line began in December 1864 and was built to the Standard gauge of 4ft 8 ½ in. When the line was bought by the Cape Government in 1873, the gauge was reduced to 3ft 6 in because of costs. It was called the Cape Gauge and has been used throughout Southern Africa ever since. The change was put into effect in 1882 when the line was extended to Muizenberg. At first there were no stops between Wynberg and Muizenberg and the trains were known as the Muizenberg Flyers because of the fast journeys. Wealth resulting from the Kimberly Diamond Fields turned Muizenberg and Kalk Bay into fashionable retreats for magnates and businessmen who built opulent homes there and in 1883 the line was extended to Kalk Bay making it a popular destination for day trippers at a time when Sea Point was sparsely populated and undeveloped. In 1889 work began to take the line through to Simon's Town.

The Steep and rocky coast, quicksands and river mouths had made it difficult to build even a road between Kalk Bay and Simon's Town and the journey by cart or wagon was so arduous that much traffic went by boat instead. The completion of the line on 1 December 1890 was therefore a celebrated event. The honours were done by Cecil Rhodes - then Premier of the Cape - who rode in the first train which arrived in a bunting bedecked Simons Town. There was a parade, free train rides for the children and a grand luncheon at the British Hotel for all the dignitaries. CAPE TOWN Cape Town's first railway station was a temporary wood and iron complex sited near the present-day Golden Acre. It was built in 1861 and was replaced in 1875 with a handsome stone-faced brick building that housed the platforms and offices of the Cape Government Railways. It was substantially enlarged over the years and 'under the clock' became a favorite meeting place. It gave way to the present station in 1964.

Cape Town Station in 1896 WOODSTOCK Originally called Papendorp, after Pieter van Papendorp who lived there in the 18th century, Woodstock beach was famous for its lime kilns and as the site of the tragic aftermath of the Cape's violent storms in the days of sail. 6000 people witnessed the Governor turning the first sod in the pouring rain to start construction of the line here in 1859. The old Castle Brewery and the gasometer of the Cape Town Gas Company (which serviced large parts of older Cape Town) are on the seaside of the line. SALT RIVER The river named by the Dutch for its salinity - Zout Rivier - rises near Riebeeck Kasteel 80Km north of Cape Town. Parts of the railway workshops here date from the very beginning and are still in full use. The Station was built for the convenience of the railway artisans who mainly lived in Cape Town and the suburb grew around the workplace. It is also the junction of lines to the North and South.

On 9 June 1926 four rear coaches of a crowded commuter train were derailed and 17 passengers, including Cape Judge President Sir Malcolm Searle were killed. OBSERVATORY Originally the first stopping place on the Wynberg line, Observatory Road Station marked the point where the line crossed the road to the Royal Observatory established by the British Admiralty in 1827. Most of the pioneering work carried out by famous astronomers Royal Sir William Herschel and Sir Thomas Maclear is continued today at Sutherland in the Karoo, far from city lights. The Observatory is sited on Valkenberg, one of the earliest Free Burger farms which also houses the century-old psychiatric hospital. The building of the station made it a much more accessible suburb which boomed as a result of the diamond and gold rushes and is today a rich but threatened collection of Victorian and Edwardian architecture. The best part of Observatory - Clee estate - was lost to Groote Schuur Hospital when it was built in the 1930s. It is chiefly famous for the first human heart transplant performed there in 1967.

MOWBRAY Mowbray was first called Drie Koppen after the heads of three slaves impaled there after execution for murder in 1724. Mowbray House, who's owner came from Melton Mowbray in England inspired the new name. Already a bustling little village in 1840s, it became a municipality in its own right in 1890 later merging with Cape Town. The temple like memorial to the energy of British Imperialist Cecil Rhodes can be seen on the mountain side and above it the King's blockhouse used to signal messages between Cape Town and Muizenberg before electric telegraph arrived in 1860. The landscape below Devil's Peak includes the only surviving windmill - Mostert's Mill - built two centuries ago and a reminder of the wheatlands farmed by the Dutch settlers. Just after leaving the station there is a cutting dug by navvies brought out from Britain to build the line in 1863. St Peter's Church was opened in 1854 and perches above. Sir Billy Butlin of Butlin's Holiday Camp fame was baptized there in 1900.

Opposite is the Mowbray Maternity Home. ROSEBANK At first only a small stopping place called Lower Mowbray, Rosebank House once on the corner of nearby Alma Road gave its name to the new station which also houses a post office, quite customary then. It became a busy light industrial station supplying wood to the Rosebank match factory on the main Road and servicing the Rosebank Agricultural Showgrounds active until 1953. RONDEBOSCH The train passes over the now canalised Liesbeek (originally the Amstel) River before reaching 't ronder doorn bosjen, an outpost for the farming operations of the Dutch East India Company. The station is the only one built on the eastern side of the line because most people lived there. Very little of the pleasant Victorian village remains and the only older landmarks of note are St Paul's Church (1834), the Rondebosch Fountain (or more accurately, horse trough) and the Rondebosch Town Hall (now Public library). Most of the mountainside is taken up by the Groote Schuur Estate, a vast area amalgamated by Rhodes with an eye to conservation.

It includes his grand former home, now official residence of the State President with many nearby houses for the cabinet. Apart from the University, Rondebosch has a concentration of famous South African Schools, including Bishops (founded in 1849) Rustenberg Girls School (1894) and Rondebosch Boys' School (1897). Trains were formally requested not to blow their whistles by the classical (1900) Dutch Reformed Church. Rondebosch Station looking down the line towards Cape Town NEWLANDS The New farming lands opened up by Governor Simon van de Stel in 1700 retained much of their rural atmosphere when the new line of 1864 passed through vineyards and Letterstedt's woods. The farms have gone but arguably the wettest place in the Peninsula still has a verdant image. The area immediately around Newlands Station is fringed by internationally famous Newlands Rugby Stadium and Newlands Cricket Grounds, both established over a century ago. The Mariendal Brewery begun by Letterstedt in 1859 and continued by Ohlsson in 1881, still brews with fresh spring water.

Cape Town's only surviving and functioning watermill - the Josephine Mill built in 1840 - is also close by. CLAREMONT Claremont station was the first of the 1864 lien stations to be completed. The suburb took its name from the Cape Colony Premier, Sir John Molteno. A bustling commercial center today, Claremont was always a busy little village situated at the junction between Main Road and Lansdowne Road which served Philippi, the community of German market gardeners who were imported in 1883. The Claremont Town Hall, pride of the independent municipality that lasted from 1886 to 1913, once stood facing the station forecourt. It was demolished in the 1950's. Aljamia Mosque built in 1911 is one of Cape Town's largest and can be clearly seen from the station. As Protea, Claremont was the official diocese of the Bishop of Cape Town who lived at Bishopscourt. Sophy Grey, wife of the first bishop, designed St. Saviour's, Claremont, among many other Anglican churches throughout the Western Cape.

HARFIELD ROAD Opened in 1931 as a direct effort to compete with the trams and busses of the Main Road, Harfield Road differs from the other stations in that the single island platform is set between the up and down tracks and is reached by Subways. The booms just before reaching Kenilworth Station are the last of 61 level crossings. The name comes from Harfield Cottage built in 1831. It was visited by the famous explorer David Livingston. KENILWORTH The farm lands originally granted to Jacob Vogel became rapidly parceled out for suburban growth once the line reached the small stopping place originally called Mortimerville. In 1882 it changed its name to Kenilworth, a nearby grand house inspired by Kenilworth castle, famous setting of a Sir Walter Scott novel. The Kenilworth Racecourse on Rosmead Avenue has been there since 1904 and was the home of the premier Cape racing event known as 'the Met'. WYNBERG De Wijnberg - the wine mountain where van Riebeeck successfully grew grapes - included a small military outpost in Dutch times.

A permanent camp was established after the First British Occupation in 1795. Gradually land was sold off to churches and officers and a village developed. Pretty Regency cottages became popular leave venues for poorly paid military and civil officials from India. The arrival of the railway line in 1864 radically altered the community. Much larger barracks were constructed and the village became a dormitory suburb of Cape Town. It is still a richly endowed architectural precinct. The site of the Wynberg Station was donated by J M Maynard, a wealthy local who was also a major shareholder of the Wynberg Railway Company. Maynardville Gardens - venue for open air Shakespearian productions for the last 50 years - is named after him. The cost of the original five station buildings - Mowbray, Rondebosch, Claremont, Newlands and Wynberg - was the equivalent of R14 000. Still serving their purpose a century and a quarter later, they were undoubtedly a sound investment. Wynberg is the highest point on the line. WITTEBOME Maps of the 17th century indicate the area was named after the silver trees that grew there.

The station was opened in 1931 also as a result of the bus fare price war and was originally called Constantia Road. part of the Dominican School for the Deaf established in cape Town in 1863, moved to Wittebome in 1937. PLUMSTEAD When the line from Wynberg to Muizenberg was extended in 1882, it was decided that there should be a stopping place two kilometers beyond Wynberg. It was called Plumstead and eventually became a station. It primarily handled the fruit traffic of the Constantia Valley. The goods sheds near the station are a reminder of what was still largely agricultural land until the 1920s. The suburb of Plumstead mushroomed after the Second World War. STEURHOF Opened on Christmas Eve in 1934, Steurhof was meant to serve the residential area that was beginning to grow between Plumstead and Diep River. DIEP RIVER The line crosses a shallow stream called Diep River just after Steurhof. In the 17th century most of the thatching grass used by the Dutch East India Company, came from here.

The station was one of the only two built on the line between Wynberg and Muizenberg in 1882 and passengers sometimes broke their journey at Ratherfelders, a coaching inn which stood near the present-day Eaton Convalescent Home. HEATHFIELD Named for the many varieties of heath that grew and still grow here, Heathfield Station was opened in 1913 to assist passengers on the interchange of the line to Ottery. The suburbs of Bergvliet and Meadowridge have gown around the station. RETREAT A series of advances and retreats during the Battle of Muizenberg in 1795 took place between the Dutch and British troops in this area and incidentally gave it a name. It is one of the two original stations on the Wynberg - Muizenberg line and even until after the Second World War, was set in a rural backwater. Retreat is the mid-point of the line to Simon's Town. STEENBERG As early as 1657 the Dutch attached the name of the stone mountains to this place. The scenic Boyes Drive with its spectacular views of False Bay can be seen quite clearly.

The plain station originally called Military Road, opened in November 1929 to serve the largely industrial area that remains today. LAKESIDE The line crosses the northern end of Sand Vlei, a very large estuary teaming with bird life and popular as a boating facility since the middle of the 19th century. The Marina da Gama housing development was a pioneer of its type in South Africa. Some older houses below the mountain are a reminder of the days when a holiday retreat here was truly isolated. A former landmark, the Blue Moon Hotel, was a popular dining and dancing venue between the wars. Lakeside as seen from the railway tracks. FALSE BAY Early Portuguese mariners often mistook Cape Point for Hangklip (some 40 kilometers apart) and turned north too soon. Cabo Falso or False Bay has been the name applied to the whole bay since. It was also known as Golfo dentra das Serras - the bay between the mountains. The station was opened in 1936 and was originally to have been called Albertyn Road after the road that crosses the line.

MUIZENBERG Moetjesons - a Khoi group living in the area in the late 18th century may have been the origin of the name recorded on a 1782 map. It was certainly used as a Dutch East India Company winter anchorage and cattle post in 1782 and the man in charge - Willem Muijs - may also have given his name to the place destined to become an extremely popular seaside resort. The present station - by far the most splendid on the line - was built in 1913 to replace the original simple structure of 1882. The station building is a proclaimed national monument. The magnificent beaches and surf have attracted holiday-makers and the rich and famous since the end of the 19th Century. Palatial homes and historic buildings are strung out along the road to St James. Among them are the Posthuys probably built in 1673, the Fort - the former Labia palazzo and now an annex of the National Gallery, the magnificent Rust en Vrede of Sir Abe Bailey and the simple seaside cottage where Rhodes died.

Muizenberg was also the destination of the first South African airmail - sent from Kenilworth on 27 December 1911. ST JAMES When the line was extended to Kalk Bay in 1883, a stopping place and platform were erected near the St James Church built in 1858. The destination became so popular that a proper station had to be built in 1900 when the Church as demolished and replaced across the road. The station kept the name at the suggestion of the parish priest, Father Duignam who built the second St James as well as the Star of the Sea Convent School next to it. The tidal pool is said to be a very old fish trap and the distinctive bathing boxes are all that remain of many that belonged to families who were regulars on the beach. For the first 40 odd years of this century there was an old marine station with a popular aquarium and research laboratory. KALK BAY The lime kilns which operated here in the 17th Century gave the bay its name. Always a fishing ground, it was a busy whaling station at the beginning of the 19th century.

the line reached Kalk Bay in 1883 and was the end of the line until 1889. A turntable for the locomotive was built at the north end of the station building, originally a private house. the present-day Brass Bell was the site of the old pavilion. It was only in 1913 that work began on the little fishing harbour and life was made marginally easier for the fisher folk. CLOVELLY Opened in 1936 to service the residents of Mayfield Estate (later Clovelly), the station was built right on the rocks and became a favorite but illegal fishing spot. The concrete footbridge giving access from the road to the beach was built in 1930 and demolished in 1990 when the station was also closed. The station was at the foot of the perilous Trappieskop, for long the only access across the beach to Fish Hoek. FISH HOEK Visch Baay was being used for cattle grazing at the end of the 18th Century and in 1818 Bruyns applied for a 1300 morgen quit-rent farm.

Governor Lord Charles Somerset granted it with several conditions including a ban on the sale of alcohol which is still in force today. Subsequent owners developed the fishing industry of the area including a prosperous whaling station. By the end of the 19th Century it was a popular venue for Cape summer picnics but the owner Oom Jacob de Villiers would sell no part of his property. After his death in 1916, 3000 plots were auctioned and the town of Fish Hoek was born. When the line came through in 1890 it was continually plagued by sand drifts which were carted away and dumped at various sites including the reclamation of Salt River. The station - actually below sea level - was built in 1928. A year earlier international fame was achieved with the discovery of the skeleton of a Middle Stone Age man of 15 000 years ago in Peer's Cave above the town. SUNNY COVE The small unmanned halt was built in 1928 at the whim, some say, of a senior railway official who lived close by. It is built on top of iron tanks filled with concrete that form a sea wall on which the railway runs.

The line crosses the mouth of the Elsje's River. GLENCAIRN Elsje's Bay was home to vegetable, wheat and cattle farmers at the beginning of the last century and may have taken its name from the many els trees that grew here. The quicksands of the beach were hazardous to traffic en route to Simon's Town and boats to Kalk Bay were regarded as safer. In 1901 a syndicate of Scots got together and called their enterprise after the pile of stones at the one end of the valley - Glencairn. 56 plots were sold. The brewer Ohlsson built a glass factory that thrived for a few years at the beginning of the century. The present modest station was built in 1905 to replace one at a lower altitude. Commuter train coming up to Glencairn on its way back to Cape Town - 1917 SIMON'S TOWN The white-washed cottage before entering Simon's Town was called Klein Vishoek and belonged to the same Bruyns family associated with the beginnings of Fish Hoek. Next to it is a reminder that one is entering a naval base.

The lower North Battery began as Zoutman Battery and was designed by Thibault in 1793. It is the oldest fortification in South Africa that is still armed. The bay was visited by Governor Simon van der Stel in 1687 and later became the winter anchorage for vessels of the Dutch East India Company. A village grew around it. After the second British occupation, it became a Royal navy base and remained so until it was handed over to the South African Navy in 1957. The town was proclaimed a municipality in 1883 and is the second oldest in the Peninsula. It has a rich architectural heritage and one of the best preserved streetscapes in South Africa. The station is situated at the end of Long Beach and next to historic Admiralty House.

Question: What is the name of the main South African naval base near Cape Town?
Answer: SIMONSTOWN